Context – The play was written by William Shakespeare, and was first performed around 1594.

Scene-by-Scene Summary – Take note of the key quotations from each scene.
Shakespeare’s Time – Shakespeare wrote his plays at the time of
two monarchs: Queen Elizabeth I and James I. Romeo
and Juliet was written relatively early in Shakespeare’s
career (the bulk of his tragedies were written in the 17th
century) yet was extremely popular in his lifetime, as it is
now. Shakespeare borrowed heavily from two texts: The Tragical
History of Romeo and Juliet (1562) and Palace of Pleasure (1567)
Religion – The heavy religious presence is evident across
several parts of Romeo and Juliet. This is reflective of a
society across Europe that was deeply religious
(predominantly catholic or protestant). Several characters
demonstrate their commitment to the church, such as
Romeo and Juliet who choose to marry rather than fornicate, and
the Capulets, who are quick to contemplate that Juliet is in a better
place (heaven) after she is found ‘dead.’
Astrology the Supernatural – At the time of
Shakespeare, the belief in both astronomy and the
supernatural was far more preeminent than in society
today. The reference to ‘star-cross’d lovers demonstrates the large
role of horoscopes and planet positions in being used to predict fate.
Also, Romeo and Juliet make reference to the fact that they feel
they are being guided by a supernatural force (e.g. ‘fortune’s fool).
Main Characters – Consider what Shakespeare intended through his characterisation of each of the below…
Romeo – The son and heir of Lord and Lady Montague. Romeo is
handsome and intelligent, yet he is also impulsive and extremely
sensitive. Romeo is a peaceful character, and is not interested in the
violence that goes on around him, choosing instead to focus his
energies on love. Although Romeo’s love seems fickle (he loves
Rosaline at the outset) his commitment can’t be debated in the end!
First Scene: Act I Scene II Final Scene: Act V Scene III
Prince Escalus– The most powerful character in the play, with the
authority to govern the other characters and administer sentences.
He is also a kinsman to Mercutio and Paris. As the seat of Verona, his
main concern throughout most of his appearances are in relation to
ensuring that the peace is kept. He is merciful in banishing Romeo
for the death of Tybalt, as opposed to sentencing him to death.
First Scene: Act I Scene I Final Scene: Act V Scene III
Montague and Capulet – The patriarchs of the Montague and
Capulet families, who have held a long and violent feud with one
another from some time before the play begins. Both seem to
deeply love their respective child, yet do not always seem
appropriately aware of their emotional wellbeing. For example,
Romeo chooses to walk the streets in melancholy rather than share
his feelings with his father, and Capulet feels the best thing for Juliet
would be a marriage with Paris.
Elizabethan England and Italy –Shakespeare frequently engaged
with Italy in his plays, leading many to believe that he
travelled there between the late 1580s and early 1590s.
Italy was a place that Shakespeare’s contemporaries
would have had a keen interest in; it was already an
advanced and beautiful place for travel. Shakespeare’s depictions of
many areas of Italian life at the time are deemed largely accurate.
Patriarchal Society –Society throughout the Middle Age
and at Shakespeare’s time was patriarchal – women
were considered inferior to men. This was also the case in
much of Europe, including Italy. Women belonged to
their fathers (or brothers if their fathers had died) and then their
husbands, so Juliet would be expected to obey her father. Women
were not permitted to own land or enter most professions. They
were instead expected to bear children, be gentle and womanly.
Healthcare and Medicine – Healthcare and medicine were not as
advanced in Shakespeare’s age as they are today – there
were numerous ailments and diseases that were not yet
understood. This makes it much more believable for both
the Capulets and Romeo that Juliet could have died so
suddenly and so young. The high death count in the play would
seem slightly more common in those days!
Juliet – The daughter of Capulet and Lady Capulet. Juliet is a
beautiful young girl (13 years old at the start of the play). Juliet is
caring, compassionate, and at times demonstrates courage (she
defies her parents in order to marry Romeo, and drinks the contents
of the vial without fully trusting its effects). At times, she shows great
intelligence and wit, particularly in conversations with her mother.
First Scene: Act I Scene III Final Scene: Act V Scene III
Mercutio – A kinsman to the prince and one of Romeo’s closest
friends. Mercutio is an extraordinary character in that he has
sparkling wit and a vivid imagination. Much of Mercutio’s speeches
deal in puns and word-play. He appears to see himself as being
above the vices of love, choosing instead to view it as misplaced
sexual appetite. His hot-headedness is eventually his downfall.
First Scene: Act I Scene IV Final Scene: Act III Scene I
Friar Laurence and the Nurse – Both Friar Laurence and the
Nurse act as guidance counsel for Romeo and Juliet. They appear to
be the two people that Romeo and Juliet trust more than any others
in the world, as they are the two that they confide in. Friar Laurence
is kind and civic-minded (believing the marriage may heal the
feud), whilst the Nurse is kind and sentimental (yet at times vulgar).
She seems as though she is more of a mother to Juliet than Lady
Capulet has ever been.
The Chorus speaks of an ancient grudge between two
Prologue households, from which two ‘star-crossed lovers’ appear.
A street brawl breaks out between the Montagues and Capulets.
Act 1 Scene 1 The Prince intervenes. He threatens the death sentence for
anyone who breaks the peace again.
Paris speaks of his desire to marry Juliet to Capulet. They arrange
Act 1 Scene 2 a masquerade ball so that he can begin to woo her. Peter
accidentally invites Romeo and Benvolio.
Act 1 Scene 3
Lady Capulet discusses the prospect of Juliet getting married to
Paris. She dutifully says that she will look upon him.
Before the ball, Mercutio mocks Romeo. He gives his ‘Queen
Act 1 Scene 4 Mab’ speech. Romeo fears the night will set fate in motion.
Romeo and Juliet meet at the ball. They immediately fall for
each other – Romeo uses metaphors to compare her to a pilgrim.
Act 1 Scene 5 Tybalt spots Romeo and wants to kill him, but Capulet stops him.
Romeo and Juliet learn that they are from warring families.
Act 2 Prologue The chorus returns and delivers a sonnet about the new love.
Benvolio and Mercutio search for Romeo, who has escaped them
Act 2 Scene 1 in the hope of re-finding Juliet.
The famous ‘balcony scene.’ Romeo decides that he cannot go
Act 2 Scene 2 home without seeing Juliet again. He trespasses into her garden,
where she appears at a window. They decide that they will wed.
Romeo visits Friar Laurence to ask if he will wed him to Juliet.
Act 2 Scene 3 Whilst shocked at how fickle Romeo’s love is, he agrees.
Romeo arrives to meet Mercutio and Benvolio. The Nurse and
Peter then arrive, and Mercutio makes fun of the Nurse. When
Act 2 Scene 4
Mercutio leaves, Romeo arranges with the Nurse for Juliet to
meet him at Friar Laurence’s chamber.
The Nurse sends Juliet to Friar Laurence’s cell, where they are
Act 2 Scenes 5-6 married. The Friar warns them to love moderately.
Tybalt duels Mercutio. Romeo tries to make peace, but Tybalt
Act 3 Scene 1 stabs Mercutio dead under Romeo’s arm. In rage, Romeo kills
Tybalt. The Prince arrives and exiles Romeo.
The Nurse tells Juliet of the fight. Juliet is traumatised by the idea
Act 3 Scene 2 of an exiled Romeo. The Nurse says she knows where he is hiding.
Romeo despairs at hearing of being banished. The Friar makes a
Act 3 Scenes 3-4 plan for him to visit Juliet before leaving. Elsewhere, Capulet
contacts Paris and arranges for Juliet to marry him.
Romeo reluctantly leaves Juliet. Her mother then tells of the
Act 3 Scene 5 marriage to Paris. She rejects it. Capulet threatens to disown her.
Juliet meets Friar Laurence, saying that she would rather kill
Act 4 Scenes 1-2 herself than marry Paris. Friar Laurence proposes the sleeping
potion plan. She agrees, returns to her parents, and repents.
Act 4 Scene 3 Juliet is scared, but drinks the contents of the vial.
The Nurse finds Juliet dead on her wedding morning. The family
Act 4 Scenes 4-5 are distraught, but agree to make the funeral arrangements.
Romeo is told of the death by Balthasar. Romeo decides that he
Act 5 Scene 1 will return to Verona to kill himself. Before doing so, he purchases
poison from an apothecary.
Friar Laurence learns that Romeo has not received his letter
Act 5 Scene 2 informing him of the plan, and is worried. He doesn’t know that
Romeo now thinks that Juliet is dead.
Act 5 Scene 3 Romeo finds Juliet’s body and kills himself. She awakens and kills
herself. Montague and Capulet commit to resolve.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life. . .
To old Free-town, our common judgment-place.
Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.
One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun
Ne'er saw her match since first the world begun.
I’ll look to like if looking liking move/ But no more deep will I endart
mine eye/ Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.
O, then I see Queen Mab has been with you. . . .
She is the fairies’ midwife. . . .
If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
But passion lends them power, time means, to meet,
Go then, for ’tis in vain
To seek him here that means not to be found.
If that thy bent of love be honorable,
Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,
By one that I’ll procure to come to thee,
Thy love did read by rote that could not spell.
But come, young waverer, come go with me,
The sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth.
Bid her devise/ Some means to come to shrift this afternoon.
And there she shall at Friar Lawrence' cell
Be shrived and married.
But come what sorrow can,/ It cannot countervail the
exchange of joy/ That one short minute gives me in her sight.
“A plague o’ both your houses”
“Ask for me tomorrow, and / you shall find me a grave man”
O nature, what hadst thou to do in hell/ When thou didst bower the
spirit of a fiend/ In moral paradise of such sweet flesh?
There is no world without Verona walls
But purgatory, torture, hell itself.
Hence “banishèd” is banished from the world,
Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch!
I tell thee what: get thee to church o' Thursday,
Take thou this vial, being then in bed,
And this distillèd liquor drink thou off,
Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink. I drink to thee.
O me, O me! My child, my only life,
Revive, look up, or I will die with thee!
Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight.
Let’s see for means. O mischief, thou art swift
Unhappy fortune! By my brotherhood,
The letter was not nice but full of charge,
For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

Themes – A theme is an idea or message that runs throughout a text.

Dramatic Devices in Romeo and Juliet Features of a Tragedy in Romeo and Juliet
Love – In Romeo and Juliet, love is an extremely overpowering force that supersedes all other values, emotions, and loyalties. Through their Mercutio and Benvolio think Romeo is still Tragic Hero - A main character cursed by fate and
love, Romeo and Juliet conspire to go against the forces of their entire social world. Romeo returns to visit Juliet at points, even Dramatic Irony pining over Rosaline, but the audience possessed of a tragic flaw (Romeo, and to an extent
though he is well aware of the threat of death. At times, love is presented as fickle (Mercutio’s speeches, Romeo + Rosaline). knows he has moved on to Juliet. A2 S1 Juliet).
Individual vs Society – Romeo and Juliet are forced to undermine the oppressive rules of society at the time. For example, rules of the
Juliet’s opening speech in A3 S2 in which she Hamartia - The fatal character flaw of the tragic hero (his passion
patriarchal family force Juliet to be subservient to her parents, rules of religion mean that they must marry in haste, and rules of masculinity Soliloquy
pours her heart out over her love for Romeo. and impulsiveness).
force Romeo into conflict with Tybalt.
Violence – Extreme violence takes place sporadically throughout the play. The feud between the two families is so bitter that Juliet secretly hopes for the ‘villain’ Romeo: Catharsis - The release of the audience's emotions
the mere sight of each other can be the cause of a fight to the death. Unchecked violence is personified through the character of Aside Villain and he be many miles asunder through empathy with the characters.
Tybalt. The violence culminates in Act 3 Scene 1, in which both Mercutio and Tybalt are murdered. God pardon him! A3 S5.
Fate – In the first address to the audience, the Chorus states that Romeo and Juliet are ‘star-cross’d’ lovers, meaning that fate had intended Friar Laurence: These violent delights have
Internal Conflict - The struggle the hero engages in with his/her
for their paths to cross, and that fate controls their actions. A series of unfortunate accidents towards the end of the play thwart Friar Foreshadowing violent ends, And in their triumph die, like
fatal flaw.
Laurence’s plan and eventually manifest in both Romeo and Juliet committing suicide, thus adding to the sense of fate. fire and powder. A2 S6